Water powered engine

ABSTRACT

An engine which is fuelled solely by super heater water/steam in which the super heated water/steam is used to create power via thermal expansion. The water/steam is then condensed and then recirculated in a closed circuit arrangement so as to arrive at zero consumption and zero emissions.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to engines and particularly to a method offuelling an engine using water.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] In the past many efforts have been made to utilise the benefitsof steam as a source of energy for fuelling engines.

[0003] Steam engines are thermodynamic machines for converting heat fromsteam into work and have long been recognised as a relatively efficientsource of power. Such a steam engine's cycle is often known as a Rankinecycle and its main benefit is the use of steam in the expansion processof a steam engine. The detractions of steam engines are well known andwill not be detailed herein.

[0004] Steam has been used in internal combustion engines to assistcombustion and two examples are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,953,914 and 5,261,238.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,914 discloses an engine driven by steam inwhich the steam is created external to the engine's combustion chamberand is injected via high-pressure valves to an expansion chamber.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,238 discloses injecting water into anengine's cylinders immediately after combustion of the fuel/air mix.This injection of water causes the water to vaporise thereby increasingthe force produced by the engine's power stroke.

[0007] An object of the invention is to provide an engine which useswater/steam as the sole means of creating power and which offers tousers a useful alternative choice.

[0008] Further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description which is given by way ofexample.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] According to a broadest aspect of the invention there is provideda method of fuelling an internal expansion engine in which super heatedwater/steam is used as the sole means of creating power via thermalexpansion.

[0010] According to a second aspect of the invention there is providedan engine fuelled solely by super heater water/steam in which the superheated water/steam is used to create power via thermal expansion, isthen condensed and then recirculated in a closed circuit arrangement soas to arrive at zero consumption and zero emissions.

[0011] In particular water is super heated, at the moment of demand, insmall enough quantities to satisfy an engine's immediate demand and isnot supplied via a reservoir of steam.

[0012] The invention employs an electro-mechanically induced thermalexpansion procedure to create an environment where small quantities ofwater can be conditioned by heat and pressure to the extent that minimalheat energy is needed to be expended to complete the expansion process.The residue of the expansion process is condensed, post the expansionphase, and cooled just enough to return it to a liquid state. Thus theapplicant has created a steam powered engine with all the benefits ofthe steam expansion process but with none of the detractions.

[0013] The present invention differs from a steam assisted internalcombustion engine in that the water/steam is the sole means of creatingpower. It is not a logical sequence of furthering the steam assistedprocess as the logical sequence of a steam assisted process is to burnwater alone, this being achieved via hydrogen cracking techniques,combustion being the common link.

[0014] The invention requires water to be time pulse metered anddelivered at very high pressure and pre-heated beyond normalvaporisation temperatures. At latency, vaporisation (and thereforeexpansion) does not occur within the delivery system because of thecontrolled residual pressure at which the engine according to theinvention operates.

[0015] The delivery system metering device when active, forces the waterinto the engine cylinders via injectors preset to open when a meteringpump creates a pressure rise above closing pressure. As the pressure inthe engine cylinders is much less than that in the delivery system thepreconditioned water rapidly expands to create work in the cylinders. Ineach engine cylinder a further heating process takes place, via aheating element, to ensure completion of the expansion process. Themanner in which such metering can take place can be controlled via apiston pump metering system or constant pressure electromechanicalgating.

[0016] Further aspects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description which is given by way of exampleonly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The invention will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawing which shows a schematic layout of an internalexpansion engine incorporating the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EXAMPLE

[0018] In the accompanying drawing is shown an example internalexpansion engine generally indicated by arrow 1. The engine 1 has adrive shaft or driven shaft 2 adapted to drive a timed metering pump 3.The timed metering pump 3 incorporates at its output a one way valve 4.The output from the timed metering pump 3 is fed to an injector 5. Anoutput pipe 6 from the one way valve 4 to the injector 5 is heated by aheating system (not shown in detail) such as a heating coil or element7. The injector 5 feeds super heated water from the timed metering pump3 to an expansion chamber 8. The expansion chamber 8 has a heater 9. Theheater 9 can be a glow plug or the like adapted to operate inconjunction with the output from the timed metering pump 3 so that theheater 9 only operates periodically in a synchronised manner and at thesame time as the injector 5. An electronic control system 13 isincorporated and is adapted as described below to constitute anelectromechanical gate system.

[0019] Expansion of the water in the expansion chamber 8 reciprocates apiston (not shown). On the piston's upstroke the expansion chamber 8 isemptied and the water is fed to a condensor 10. Condensate from thecondensor 10 is fed to a reservoir 11 an output of which acts as a inputfluid via tubing 12 to the timed metering pump.

[0020] The flow of the water as fluid via the timed metering pump 3, oneway valve 4, injector 5, expansion chamber 8, condensor 10 and reservoir11 constitutes a closed loop.

[0021] In use the closed circuit nature of the water flow and the use ofpulsed super heated water/steam in which only a small volume is heatedat any one time produces via thermal expansion at the expansion chamberan efficient source of power which produces energy which is converted bythe piston's movement into rotation in the engine's shaft which can beused for a wide variety of uses. In particular the electronic controlsystem 13 opens and closes at predetermined times the electronicallyoperated injector 5. The system 13 automatically adjusts the timing andwater input volume to suit demand.

[0022] Thus by the invention there is provided an internal expansionengine operating efficiently and with optimum output.

[0023] Where in the foregoing description particular mechanical integersare described by way of example it is envisaged that their mechanicalequivalents may be substituted as if they were individually set forthherein.

[0024] A particular example of the invention has been described and itis envisaged that improvements and modifications can take place withoutdeparting from the scope of the attached claims.

1. An internal expansion engine fuelled solely by water a small quantityof which is superheated by an expansion chamber mounted electric heatingelement at the moment of demand, the superheated water being used tocreate power via thermal expansion in the engine, the superheated waterafter use is condensed and recirculated in a closed circuit to arrive atzero consumption of water.
 2. An engine as claimed in claim 1 whereinthe water is super heated, at the moment of demand, in small enoughquantities to satisfy an engine's immediate demand and is not suppliedvia a reservoir of steam.
 3. An engine as claimed in claim 2 whichemploys electro-mechanically induced thermal expansion to create anenvironment where small quantities of water are conditioned by heat andpressure to the extent that minimal heat energy is needed to be expendedto complete the expansion process.
 4. An engine as claimed in claim 3wherein the residue of the expansion process is condensed, post theexpansion phase, and cooled just enough to return it to a liquid state.5. An engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the engine is an internalcombustion engine in which water/steam is the sole means of creatingpower.
 6. An engine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the water is timepulsed, metered and delivered at very high pressure and pre-heatedbeyond normal vaporisation temperatures.
 7. An engine as claimed inclaim 6 wherein the residual pressure of the water/steam is controlledso that latency, vaporisation (and therefore expansion) does not occurwithin the delivery system.
 8. An engine as claimed in claim 6 whereinthe delivery system metering device when active, forces the water intothe engine cylinders via injectors preset to open when a metering pumpcreates a pressure rise above closing pressure.
 9. An engine as claimedin claim 8 wherein the pressure in the engine cylinders is much lessthan that in the delivery system so that the preconditioned waterrapidly expands to create work in the cylinders.
 10. An engine asclaimed in claim 9 in which in each engine cylinder a further heatingprocess takes place, via a heating element, to ensure completion of theexpansion process.
 11. An engine as claimed in claim 9 wherein themetering is controlled via a piston pump metering system or constantpressure electromechanical gating mechanism.
 12. An engine as claimed inclaim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to theaccompanying drawing.